Should the festivals we celebrate be more religious or is it acceptable that they are increasingly secular?
Is it me or have religious festivals been bypassed by the media and society in general? The speeches and views of religious leaders and groups have been marginalised as festivals become less important in a world which is dominated by individualism, work and leisure and less by understanding and tolerance. They are now just a chance to have time away from the work routines and a longer weekend, with more time in bed or a chance to catch up with family or those nagging jobs that you haven’t a chance to get done yet.
Christmas is a great time to stuff our faces with food before going on a crash diet for a week to lose the weight, while Easter is time to fill ourselves with chocolate and enjoy the longest break we’ve had since Christmas.
But isn’t more than this? Whether you’re a pagan or a Christian, or any religious or non-religious persuasion, surely we should try to understand what the festivals are here for in the first place.
Why not get involved in a discussion to say what you think of religious festivals. Do you think they should remain special times or is it okay just to have them as normal holiday times?
